Lavandula plant named ‘AGRI811’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘AGRI811’, characterized by its upright to broadly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; relatively large dark purple-colored flowers and lighter purple-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AGRI811’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘AGRI811’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Lavandula plants with long flowering period and attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Lavandula stoechas identified as code designation agri 279, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lavandula stoechas identified as code designation agri 425, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in April, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since May, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AGRI811’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Upright to broadly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively large dark purple-colored flowers and lighter         purple-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and         erect peduncles.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection primarily in leaf size and color as plants of the new Lavandula have broader and more greyed-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection primarily in growth habit as plants of the new Lavandula are more compact than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Lavandula have purple-colored terminal flower bracts whereas plants of the male parent selection have lilac-colored terminal flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Dark Knight’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Dark Knight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are broader and more         greyed-colored leaves than plants of ‘Dark Knight’. 2. Plants of         the new Lavandula have larger flowers than plants of ‘Dark         Knight’. 3. Plants of the new Lavandula have purple-colored         terminal flower bracts whereas plants of ‘Dark Knight’ have         lilac-colored terminal flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘AGRI811’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following detailed description were grown in 12-cm containers during the spring in an outdoor nursery in Luz De Tarvira, Portugal and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were pinched four and eight weeks after planting and were six months old when the photograph and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 10° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘AGRI811’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas identified as code designation agri 279, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas identified as code designation agri 425, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; typically             creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and             broadly spreading plant habit; broadly obovate in overall             plant shape; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous             growth habit; moderate growth rate; flowers arranged in             verticillasters on crowded spikes with showy terminal flower             bracts.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 26.3             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 29.1 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About nine             primary lateral branches each with about four to nine             secondary lateral branches developing per plant. Length:             About 10 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About             2 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Primary lateral             branches, upright to about 70° from vertical; secondary             lateral branches, about 10° to 35° from primary lateral             branch axis. Texture and luster: Densely tomentose; slightly             glossy. Color, when developing: Close to 145A. Color,             developed: Close to 144B and 145B; with development, close             to N199A and N199B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 3.8 cm. Width: About 8mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblanceolate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire; slightly revolute; not lobed. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Densely tomentose; not rugose; matte. Texture             and luster, lower surface: Moderately to densely tomentose;             slightly rugose; matte. Fragrance: Strongly aromatic,             pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137D. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137D; venation, close to NN137D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between 138A and             N138B; venation, close to 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Single salverform             flowers arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded             terminal spikes; freely flowering, about 200 flowers             developing per inflorescence and about 7,500 flowers             developing per plant; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly on the             spike; inflorescences with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Inflorescences last about             eight weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Densely tomentose; matte.             Color: Close to 145D; distally, close to 146D and at the             apex, close to 79D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height, excluding terminal flower             bracts: About 2.8 cm. Height, including terminal flower             bracts: About 5 cm. Diameter, at terminal flower bracts:             About 3.5 cm. Diameter, below flower bracts: About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 mm by 5 mm. Depth (height):             About 9 mm. Throat diameter: About 1.5 mm. Tube length:             About 5 mm. Tube diameter: About 1.25 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 1.1 cm.             Length, lower lip: About 8 mm. Width, upper lip: About 2 mm.             Width, lower lip: About 2 mm. Shape: Roughly spatulate;             lower 70% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse, rounded. Margin:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; matte.             Texture, throat and tube: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 83A; venation, close to 83A; color             becoming closer to N186B with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 83B; venation, close             to 83B; color becoming closer to N186B with development.             Throat: Close to 83B; venation, close to 83B. Tube: Close to             83D fading proximally to close to N155A; venation, close to             83D fading proximally to close to N155A.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About four             positioned at inflorescence apex. Length: About 3.1 cm.             Width: About 9.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate to             narrowly obovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely tomentose; matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to N81B and N82A; midvein, close to             N186A. Color, lower surface: Close to N81B and N82A;             midvein, close to 79B.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             seven flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Broadly and abruptly acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Mostly             glabrous with pubescence along margins; slightly glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely tomentose;             matte. Color, upper surface: Close to N79C; venation, close             to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to N79A and N79B;             venation, close to between N186C and N200A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, lower 85% of the             sepals are fused into a campanulate tube. Calyx length:             About 5.5 mm. Calyx diameter: About 1.5 mm. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 145D; venation, close to             143B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Proximally, close to 145D; distally, close to 146D; at the             apex, close to 79D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 144B and             145B; distally, tinged with close to N186C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to N155A.             Anther shape: Reniform; dorsifixed. Anther size: About 0.5             mm by 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to N186A. Pollen amount:             Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma             shape: Club-shaped. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma             color: Close to N186A. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style             color: Close to N155A. Ovary color: Close to N144D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lavandula     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Lavandula plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 7 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘AGRI811’ as illustrated and described. 